Godavari, Krishna Rivers to be Formally Interlinked Today.

Andhra Pradesh:Godavari and Krishna rivers will be interlinked today inAndhra Pradesh. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu will release Godavari waters into Krishna at Ibrahimpatnam village some 20 km from Vijayawada to mark the interlinking of the two rivers.The Chief Minister will also address the farmers at a public meeting on the occasion prior to which a puja and inauguration of pylon are scheduled to be held. About 80 TMCs of water from Godavari would flow into River Krishna. The State government has plans to divert the waters to the drought prone Rayalaseema region through Srisailam reservoir on River Krishna. ‘With the Godavari water set to join river Krishna at Ferry village on the Vijayawada city outskirts the State government is also focusing on expediting the Polavaram dam works and has set March 2018 as target to complete them. Taken up at a cost of Rs.1,400 crore the Pattiseema lift irrigation project was completed in a record span. The project had to be completed by March 2016 but it was completed early. It was dedicated to the nation on August 15. Every year about 1100 tmc of Godavari waters, which is equivalent to 400 times of Prakasam Barrage capacity, is released into the sea without being utilized and the State government wants to tap those waters for good. The river confluence of Godavari and Krishna near Ibrahimpatnam would be developed into a spiritual and tourism centre according to Water Resources Minister Devineni Umamaheswara Rao. The State government is also contemplatingto build a bathing ghat for the forthcoming Pushkar for River Krishna scheduled for July 2016, at the place of the confluence.